German police investigate Gazprom subsidiary on suspicion of sabotage
German prosecutors and police conducted raids in Berlin and Frankfurt on Wednesday. A Russian national is suspected of supporting the sale and liquidation of Gazprom Germania with the aim of sabotaging Germany's gas supply.
German police investigate Gazprom subsidiary on suspicion of sabotage
German prosecutors conducted raids in Berlin and Frankfurt am Main on Wednesday. The investigation concerns suspicions that the sale of the Berlin subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom was intended to serve the sabotage of Germany's gas supply.
The investigation focuses on the period after February 2022, when Russia launched its major offensive against Ukraine. Shortly afterwards, the state-controlled energy company sold its German subsidiary Gazprom Germania.
This change of ownership alarmed the German government. The authorities temporarily took control of the company, as it managed at least 25 per cent of Germany's natural gas storage capacity.
According to prosecutors, Gazprom Germania was transferred to a company based in Moscow that had nothing to do with the energy industry. This new owner immediately ordered the liquidation of the company.
"There is suspicion that the sale and liquidation were aimed at damaging gas supply in Germany," the investigators said. Police searched the premises of a Russian national in Berlin and a company in Frankfurt on Wednesday.
According to the prosecution, the accused is said to have assisted in implementing the liquidation decision in order to achieve this goal.
Back in 2022, then German Economy Minister Robert Habeck stated that the government had intervened because of the "unclear" legal structure of Gazprom Germania and the parent company's failure to inform German authorities about the change of ownership.
Under German law, the government may examine transactions involving non-EU companies that are considered systemically significant. In November 2022, Germany fully nationalised Gazprom Germania, citing its systemic importance to energy supply. The company now operates under the name Securing Energy for Europe GmbH.
In recent months, several people have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of espionage for Russia. This month, Germany opened a joint centre to counter hybrid threats, which is to coordinate security authorities in countering espionage, disinformation and sabotage. Russia and other hostile states are held responsible for this.
Source: 15min.lt
Source: 15min